Letters to the editor

An honorable company This is in response to Ann Leavine’s March 23 letter (“Betrayal of values” Your Views.) I would like to know how or why it is Publix’s responsibility to give those workers a raise. Isn’t it up to their employer?

As far as Publix failing to live up to its corporate and community values, Publix has donated hundreds of millions of dollars over the years to charities such as the United Way, with the donations coming from its management, full- and part-time associates, and not to mention the Red Cross, March of Dimes and many others. I’m quite sure some of the Immokalee workers have taken advantage of some of the charities Publix has supported.

Publix is an honorable company to its employees and in the community. I would love to see Ann continue to shop at Publix. Maybe after reading this she will understand a bit more about Publix.

True to values There are a lot of us who support Publix in its response to the tomato pickers and their union. This is not a labor dispute between Publix and its employees. If the Coalition of Immokalee Workers feels they are being treated unfairly, they should use a tried and true method. Go on strike. The fact they haven’t done this seems to indicate they know that would be fruitless. So they’ve taken to trying to strong arm supermarkets into paying them directly. Thank you, Publix, for staying true to your values.

And yes, if the suppliers up the price to Publix, I’ll gladly pay it.

Direct hit Score a direct hit for former Marine Corps officers Michael Haft and Harrison Suarez’s commentary on defense cuts (“Quit whining, generals, and adapt and overcome,” Views, March 24). As with most bureaucracies, civilian and military, budgets are determined by those “in the rear with the gear” — well-meaning people who hear too infrequently from those tasked with the mission and too often from contractors and vendors who stand to benefit from their decisions. I hope the generals read the Trib and by so doing are induced to remember that our war fighters need “beans, bullets and bandages,” rather than flashy billboards and $25-a-plate fare, if they are to carry the day on the battlefield.

After a long run in the Tampa Tribune sports department, Joe Henderson now shares his thoughts on the people and places that make up daily life in our city.

Tom Jackson

Tom Jackson’s baseball card — if he had one — would report he throws left, writes right. In his columns and blog, “The Right Stuff,” southpaw Jackson provides insight into the evolving human condition from a distinctly conservative point of view.Column | Blog